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9 month old fighting bedtime (REALLY fighting it). Help!

3 replies

snoozer · 23/09/2007 20:25

My 9mo used to be a decent sleeper -- not the best, but for a very long time now he has taken 2 longish naps (about 2.5 hours total) and has gone to bed for the nigth at about 7pm. We do the same routine everytime: (bath at night) book, bottle, a few minutes of singing and rocking and into the bed, sometimes sleepier than others. He would sometime cry for a little bit during the singing/rocking but nothing too intense. He woke once in the night for a feed, let me put him in the cot while still awake and I'd just walk out of the room and not hear another peep from him until about 7am.

However, for the past week now he's been crying HYSTERICALLY as soon as I start putting on hs sleeping bag. He still loves a book but when I put it away he gets absolutely inconsolable. He will not take his bottle or let me cuddle him. I'm talking over an hour of crying in my arms, but he will always stop the moment I pull out a book, which makes me think he isn't in pain or anything. He's also starting doing the same thing when he wakes in the night for a feed. We've tried calpol and bonjela, neither of which seemed to help at all.

Does anyone have any ideas of what this can be and what we can do about it?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
sleepfinder · 23/09/2007 21:30

we had this too - it seems to be a normal developmental stage.
we carried on as normal and let him scream for a bit (no more than 10 mins and he'd conk out). It did stop - only to be replaced by other delightful behavioural treats...!

Bodkin · 23/09/2007 21:32

Could it be separation anxiety? I think it starts around 8/9 months. Not much advice on what to do though I'm afraid. Does he have a blanket/dummy/favourite toy? If not, maybe you could introduce a blanket or something else as a comforter?

Sorry, not much help, but I'm sure someone will be along in a minute....

muisje · 25/09/2007 20:26

I don't really have any advice to offer, just a hug and to let you know that we are going through the same thing at the moment. bedtimes have been so pleasant for several months now and suddenly my anxiety level shoots up before even entering ds' room! At this point we're just trying to ride it out, and do some additional back-rubbing and hanging out in his room to help him sleep. Good luck, I hope it ends for you soon (and we can all get some sleep

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